What is the original novel of director Park Chan-wook's new film 'There's No Way Out'? We've summarized everything from the meeting of Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin to the release date, plot, and cast.
1. What is the original novel of <There's No Way Out>? Donald E. Westlake's 『The Axe』
This film is based on the novel 'The Axe' by American author Donald E. Westlake. The title of the book, 'The Axe', goes beyond the simple meaning of 'axe' and also carries the ambiguous meaning of 'layoffs' or 'reduction of personnel'.
This work was already made into a film by Greek director Costa-Gavras in 2006. Director Park Chan-wook's "There's No Way Out" is raising expectations even more as it is an original reinterpretation rather than a remake.
2. Plot: The extreme choice of a father who is driven to the edge of a cliff
'Yoo Man-soo' (Lee Byung-hun), who had been working diligently at a paper company for 25 years, is suddenly fired one day. Yoo Man-soo, who risks his life to find a new job to protect his family, is pushed further and further to the edge of a cliff, and eventually makes a shocking choice.
It is a black comedy about human nature, morality, and survival that is revealed within it. Is it true that my heart starts pounding just hearing the story...?
3. Cast: The Avengers lineup you can trust and watch
- Lee Byung-hun – ‘Yoo Man-soo’, the father who tries to get re-employed after being fired - Son Ye-jin – Miri, a strong wife who supports her husband realistically - Park Hee-soon – Yoo Man-soo’s re-employment competitor - Lee Seong-min – Senior executive of the company that fired Yoo Man-soo - Yeom Hye-ran – A neighbor of Yoo Man-soo’s family - Cha Seung-won – A headhunter who makes an offer to Yoo Man-soo - Yoo Yeon-seok – A young manager at the company, a character who shows generational conflict
Is this lineup real? A gathering of real acting masters! The audience is already ready to applaud~
4. When is the release date? Scheduled for the second half of 2025!
The film is set to be filmed from August 2024 to January 2025 and is currently in post-production.
It is scheduled to be released in the second half of September 2025, so we will be able to see it on the screen soon! Moreover, this work was invited to the competition section of the Venice International Film Festival, so what can we say about its quality?
5. The weighty questions the film poses
<There's No Choice> is not a simple job-hunting story or a thriller.
Asking the question, “How far can humans maintain morality in order to protect their family?” It is also a work that criticizes modern people's self-esteem, survival competition, and the true face of capitalism.
A film that simultaneously brings about empathy and a sense of caution - this is director Park Chan-wook's signature work.
Let's organize it into Q&A!
Q. What is the original work of the movie <No Choice>? A. It is based on the novel 'The Axe' by American author Donald E. Westlake.
Q. Is this movie a remake? A. No! It is director Park Chan-wook's original interpretation of the same novel, unrelated to the original 2006 film.
Q. When is the release date? A. It is scheduled to be released in the second half of 2025.
Q. Who is the lead actor? A. Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, Cha Seung-won, and Yoo Yeon-seok will appear.
Director Park Chan-wook's sensibility, Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin's acting, and even a weighty message... I think <There's No Choice> is a work that you will regret missing!
